Stardew Valley-Before the Farmer
by carlyh0rse
Summary: A collection of stories that take place before the farmer arrives.
1. A New Mother

Pam held the baby in her arms, not sure how she was supposed to feel. In every movie she had seen about motherhood, the new moms always loved their child more than anything else in the world, even if they were unwanted at first. But Pam had a strange emptiness in her gut as her new baby cried out in the criminally small doctor's office/hospital. Wasn't she supposed to love this thing more than life itself? She thought she loved Jeremy that much. But of course, he turned out to be an asshole, hitting the road as soon as Pam told him she had been pregnant. Pam wondered where he could have gone. The city, maybe? But what could he do there? The only real skill had was his fishing prowess, which barely sufficed as a career even in Stardew Valley.

Lost in thought, Pam was snapped back into reality when the curtain was drawn back, revealing the doctor Andrew and his young son, Harvey. Andrew started to speak, but Pam couldn't hear him over the baby's cries.

"What?!" she shouted.

"I said, 'How are you feeling?!'" he shouted back.

"I'm a single mom with no money! How the hell do you think?!" she yelled, her irritation growing.

The baby kept crying, and second by second, Pam could have sworn she got louder and louder. Andrew was a little disappointed at this, hoping Pam would have had that beautiful feeling of motherhood by now, as his joy of fatherhood had kicked in a couple days after Harvey had been born.

"Mind if Harvey takes him?!" Andrew asked, wanting to talk to Pam alone.

"Like I care! Go ahead!" she responded.

Harvey went to the right side of the bed, and carefully took the baby, remembering how his father had taught him to hold them. For a moment, he didn't move, and just stared at the infant, unsure what to do. He looked at Andrew.

"Give her this and put her down for her nap!" Andrew instructed, giving him a baby bottle. Harvey nodded, and left the room, heading up the stairs. At last, it was quiet.

"Finally," Pam muttered, rubbing her temples.

Andrew sighed, and sat on end of the bed. "But really, Pam, how are you?"

Pam wanted to lie, say she was doing fine, that she was happy to be a mother, but the words didn't come out. Instead, she said, "Andrew, I can't do this. Raising a kid by myself, especially with my low salary...it's impossible. I can barely take care of me, let alone a newborn kid."

Andrew thought about what to say next, trying to somehow console her. He sighed. "Pam, it won't be easy. I'm not gonna lie, kids get crazy enough even with two parents sometimes. But you can do it." Pam looked away from Andrew, at the mattress, so she could avoid his gaze.

"No I can't," she choked. "Because I don't love her. To me, she's just a problem that I got stuck with because I'm a woman." After saying this, the tears started to cascade down her face, one after another, and she gripped the bed sheets tightly. Andrew looked at her, unsure how to help. He silently cursed Jeremy. How could he have been friends with that bastard? Andrew didn't know Pam that well, but he had thought Jeremy loved her, at least enough to stick with her through this. He stood up, and walked to the head of the bed, where he crouched down to meet Pam's level.

"So you're not a baby person. So what? Some people don't like babies. It'll be different once she has a personality. When she calls you Mommy. When she runs to you to give you a hug. When she makes you proud."

Pam sniffed. "What if that never happens?"

"It'll happen. As long as you're with her and take care of her, it will," Andrew promised. Pam continued to cry, and Andrew put his arm around her. "I know it's really scary right now, but someday you won't be able to imagine life without her." Pam didn't even flinch.

Andrew got an idea. "Think of a name for her. Whatever you pick, it'll be the name you chose. And she'll be completely yours."

Pam calmed down a little, and was able to speak. "What could I possibly name her?"

"Anything you like, that's the beauty of it. You're her mother, so you get to choose. It can be the most ridiculous name you've ever heard. She could even be like, 'Strawberry,' or something."

Pam laughed a little. "Come on, I'm not THAT cruel."

Andrew smiled. "Why don't you get some sleep? When you wake up, maybe you'll have a name in mind, and you can try breastfeeding again."

Pam conceded, sighing to herself. "Ok, sure, I can do that."

Andrew stood up, and closed the curtain behind him as he left. Pam sat there for a minute, trying to think of a name, but she just wanted to sleep, and forget all of this for a few hours. She laid down, and allowed her eyes to close. Pam slept like a log, never even moving from the mental fatigue of the incredible stress she was taking on.

Pam awoke to the sound of the curtain opening. "Pam, time to wake up. Your daughter's here."

Pam groaned and rubbed her eyes as she sat up, wishing she was asleep again already. Andrew had the baby in his arms, and carefully passed the baby over to Pam, secretly making sure she was holding her correctly. Pam looked down at the newborn, wondering what name would suit this little creature.

Andrew interrupted her thoughts. "Want to try breastfeeding?" He asked. Pam shrugged. "I guess so."

As Andrew was helping Pam prepare for breastfeeding, he asked, "So, any thoughts on the name yet?" Pam sighed. "No. Nothing. I have no one I'd want to name her after, girls named after flowers are cliché, and most names just sound so lame."

The baby began to suck, and Pam squirmed a little at the weird feeling. "Wow!" Andrew exclaimed. "She's doing it! Well, you're doing it, but she's taking it! Isn't that great?"

Pam felt guilty, wishing she could get excited at something like this. She felt like an awful mother.

"Yeah," she said despondently, "great."

Andrew saw the look Pam had on her face, and realized what he said might have made her feel worse. When the baby was done, Pam held the baby in the regular holding position again and covered up expertly, to Andrew's surprise. He smiled.

"What's that smirk on your face all about?" Pam asked, a little annoyed.

"Oh nothing," he responded, a little edge of playfulness in his voice, "it's just that I've never seen a mother perfectly maneuver their baby so quickly before."

Pam rolled her eyes. "Stop. You know as well as I do I'm still a crappy mom."

"If you say so," Andrew shrugged. Pam looked at the baby's face, trying to find something about her to love. Pam gazed at her eyes, hair, and small fingers, but she just couldn't find it in her to love this thing, no matter how much she wanted to. Pam knew she couldn't let go of this feeling, like she was stuck with this baby. Like the baby was a problem, not a bundle of joy, not a reason to live, not her daughter.

The curtain pulled back again, this time Harvey slipping in. He tugged on his father's white coated sleeve. "What is it, buddy?" He asked. Harvey motioned for his father to come closer, in order to hear his whisper. Andrew leaned down, and listened, smiling at the end of Harvey's statement. Pam looked at the pair in confusion, curious as to what he was saying.

"What is it?" Pam questioned.

Andrew got up, and walked back over to Pam, holding Harvey's hand.

"Harvey has a gift for you, Pam. It's from his collection."

Harvey pulled out a penny from his pocket, and handed it to Pam.

"Careful," Andrew warned. "The baby might choke on that."

Pam nodded, and took the coin, inspecting it. It was like any other penny Pam had seen. She handed it back to Harvey. "Sorry, kid, but it's just a penny."

"Pam," Andrew scolded, "he's giving you a gift. Take it." Pam had never heard Andrew angry at anything before, and was a little impressed at his ability to switch from nurturer to disciplinarian instantly. She complied, but retorted while rolling her eyes, "ok, ok, geez, DAD." Pam held the penny between her fingers, playing with it. It was really nothing special. Why would he give this to her?

To both Pam and Andrew's surprise, Harvey spoke, eyes glued to the ground. "I... heard you and Daddy talking. I know you need money, and I had some, so..."

Pam was speechless, and looked at Andrew for guidance. He just smiled a proud-parent smile. She had the urge to explain how money worked, and tell Harvey that pennies were basically worthless, but she just couldn't. Even though he was just a little kid, he actually cared and wanted to help. Someone actually cared about her. She might actually be able to raise this baby, if she ends up half as nice as this kid. She gazed down at her baby, knowing she could do it. She could raise this thing. She finally began to feel love in her heart, but didn't even notice. She was too happy. Tears started to fill her eyes as she grinned, and she turned to Harvey. "That's nice of you kid. Thanks." Harvey's eyes were still on the floor as he said, "You're welcome." After that, he left without another word.

Pam could feel Andrew smirking beside the hospital bed.

Pam watched her infant, now asleep, and stated, "I know my daughter's name now."

Andrew beamed, and asked, "And?" already guessing the answer.

"Penny."

"That's a beautiful name," Andrew praised, and was glad to finally see some semblance of happiness on Pam's face, knowing this was the first time Pam had actually felt like a mother. No one said anything for a few minutes, just appreciating the tranquility of the sleeping baby. Pam sighed happily, loving all the little things about Penny. The small mop of orange hair, her tiny fingers, her button nose.

Andrew finally said something in a whisper. "Ready to take Penny home?" he asked.

"No," Pam replied, "but I think I might actually be able to pull this off, a day at a time."

Andrew smiled and nodded, leaving to get her carrier and diaper bag. As soon as he left, Pam removed her legs from the sheets and carefully swung her legs to the side of the hospital bed. Slowly, she stood, still holding Penny in her arms, and slipped on her shoes. Andrew returned with her things, and put his face close to Penny's. "Bye, Penny. It's time to go home with your new mommy, "he cooed, tapping her nose. Pam lowered Penny to her carrier, cautious to not wake her. Andrew tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned around.

"If you ever need anything, Pam, we're here for you, okay? Babysitting, a diaper emergency, you name it, we'll be here to help."

Pam nodded. "Thanks, Andrew."

Andrew wrapped his arms around her in a hug, and she didn't return it, but she didn't pull away either. "You can do it Pam. I know you can." He pulled away, and Pam picked up the carrier.

"See ya around," Pam said as she walked out of the clinic, into the crisp air of fall, and into her new life.


	2. The New Kid

Sebastian walked in with his mother, the library table almost full with other students. Evelyn, the schoolteacher, greeted them with a kind smile.

"Robin! Nice to see you again! How are you doing?"

Robin smiled tiredly back. "It's been a little crazy lately, with the move and everything, but we're doing ok."

Evelyn giggled a little, and said, "Don't worry. Being from the city, you'll get tired of our boring town soon enough."

Sebastian hid behind his mother's leg, guessing this woman might talk to him at the mention of 'we.'

Seeing this, Evelyn turned her gaze towards him, and bent down to his level. "You must be Sebastian. Hi there. I'm your teacher, Evelyn. Why don't take a seat while I talk to your mommy for a minute?" Sebastian thought Evelyn looked kind, and decided to comply, heading over to the table. There were four other kids there, and it looked like they were all drawing something. He didn't know where he should sit. There was a dark skinned girl, a boy with a football under his arm, a girl with purple hair, and a boy with spiky blond hair sitting in a circle at the table. Without saying a word, he sat next to the blond kid, taking a piece of paper and some crayons from the center. Sebastian couldn't think of what to draw, so he looked around for some inspiration. The girl to his left, the one with the purple hair, was drawing a sword, and he thought that was cool, so he began to sketch a knight to go with it.

Robin called from the door, "Bye, sweetie! Have fun!" Giggles escaped from all the kids, aside from the blond kid, and Sebastian could feel his face turn red as he forced himself to give his mother a small wave. Robin left the library, leaving Sebastian embarrassed and alone with these kids. Evelyn walked over to the table and sat down, opening a large book. "Good morning children!" she greeted cheerfully. "Good morning, Mrs. Evelyn," the small class recited, putting the crayons down and looking at her. Evelyn looked at Sebastian with a smile, and said the most dreaded words a new kid could ever hear. "We seem to have a new student. Why don't you tell us your name and where you're from?"

Sebastian sighed and murmured, "My...name's...Sebastian." A snicker escaped the kid with the football. Evelyn gave him a glare, and he looked down at the silent scolding. "And.. I'm from... the city." Murmurs went around the table, all of them surprised to have someone from such a different place in their class. Sebastian sunk in his chair. "We're glad to have you here, Sebastian. Let's all try make him feel welcome. It can be scary moving to a whole new place. How about we introduce ourselves with our names and something about us? Alex, why don't you start?" He cringed at this a little, knowing it was punishment from earlier. He looked at Sebastian. "Name's Alex. I like sports. 'Specially football," he said as he tossed the ball above his head. Evelyn's kind smile turned into a scowl as she turned to Alex. "Alex! How many times do I have to say that there is no ball throwing in the library? Put that down!" "Yes ma'am," he replied, disappointment in his voice as he put the ball on the floor. "He's also our resident troublemaker," Evelyn joked. This made Alex laugh a little. "Yeah, Sebastian. The time out chair is my territory." The class giggled again, and everyone looked at the dark-skinned girl expectantly, waiting for her to introduce herself. "My name's Maru. I build machines and things. Hopefully I'll be able to build robots someday." Sebastian looked at the picture in front of her. The robot drawing was very advanced, to the point it was almost like a blueprint. The girl with purple hair spoke up next. "I'm Abigail. I like video games." Sebastian smiled a little at this, remembering the collection of games on his computer. The only one left was the blond kid, who just stared down at nothing. Evelyn and the class waited for him to speak, but he didn't say anything. The silence pierced the room like a knife, everyone hoping he would say something, anything, just to stop the awkwardness. It was probably ten seconds before Evelyn stopped the madness. "This is Sam," Evelyn explained, and she paused, hoping he might add something to this, but he just sat there, not making a sound. "Sam is very good with music. He's even learning guitar. Right, Sam?" Sam just sunk lower in his chair, and Sebastian could see the slightest trace of tears in his eyes. Evelyn cleared her throat. "Well, let's begin, shall we? Why don't we start with where we left off at chapter four?"

Sebastian sat by himself at lunch, on the bench by the swings. Alex, Maru, and Abigail were playing on the playground, cheerfully chasing each other on the various structures. Sam sat alone as well, in the grass several feet away. Sebastian stared at him, wondering why he didn't want to play with the other kids, or at least play by himself. Sam fiddled with the dirt on the ground, not really accomplishing anything. Sebastian stood up and slowly approached him. It was strange, Sebastian usually only liked to be by himself, but he remembered what it had been like when his parents divorced, when he had been sad a lot, so he figured Sam might be going through the same thing. Sam looked up when Sebastian stood over him, but quickly returned to his dirt pile when Sebastian sat down. Neither said anything for a few minutes. Sebastian didn't know what to say, not being very good with new people, and he wasn't sure how to start a conversation.

Finally, Sam spoke up. "What do you want?" He asked harshly, giving Sebastian a glare. Sebastian responded, "Nothing. We don't have to talk or play. I just thought doing nothing together would be better than doing nothing alone."

Sam was surprised to hear this, since people usually lied and said they wanted to be friends or something. Sebastian started his own pile, the pair saying nothing to each other. Sam breathed to speak a few times, but nothing came out. Sebastian never asked what he was going to say, not even looking up from the dirt mound. Sam was kind of fascinated by this new kid. He had never met anyone that was ok with silence. Finally, out of curiosity, Sam asked, "Are you really from the city?" Sam wondered what life was like outside of this tiny town, picturing crowds of people filling the streets. Sebastian nodded, still playing with the pile. "What was it like?" Sebastian sighed, "There were lots of people. Too many." Sam wasn't satisfied with this, and was a little annoyed. "DUH!" Sam shouted, "Of course! I mean, what was it LIKE?!" Sam stood up, his arms out in anger. Sebastian smiled a little at this, happy that Sam finally said something interesting. Still not looking up, he replied, "It's constantly cramped. There are too many people. Too many cars. Too little space. But there are some cool things, like the lights and the music." Sam lowered his arms, and thought about this for a moment. "What kind of music?" Sebastian smirked, knowing he found something that interested Sam. "Anything you can imagine. Metal, pop, rap, jazz, reggae, indie stuff, you name it." Sam grinned. "Even..." Sam bent down to Sebastian's ear. "Country?" Sebastian laughed so hard he rocked back a little, holding his stomach and almost falling over. "Haha. No. That's the one kind that the city doesn't have." Sam's eyes sparkled, his grin growing wider. "Perfect."

As soon school was let out for the day, Sam insisted Sebastian come and play at his house, but truth be told, Sebastian was afraid to. He liked Sam, but wasn't sure if going to his house after one day was a good idea. The idea of his parents being there and immediately judging him for being quiet was a little frightening. Then again, Sam had been quiet for a while, according to Evelyn. She had praised Sebastian in private after lunch/recess, glad Sam was finally talking again. She explained his dad had gone off to war, and Sam hadn't been taking it well. During class, she looked surprised when Sam had eagerly answered a question during the history lesson. It was wrong, of course, Stardew Valley was not founded by aliens trying to settle into human life, but she was excited he was excited. When Robin came to pick Sebastian up, Sam begged her to let him come over, but he didn't have to. Robin was ecstatic Sebastian had a possibility of a friend. Now they were sitting on Sam's bed, playing with an acoustic guitar that was far too big for their bodies. "This is a G chord," Sam instructed while placing his fingers on the neck of the instrument. "I just learned it yesterday." Sebastian listened, but truth be told, he wasn't that interested. He tried to hide this from Sam, nodding along, but Sam knew he wasn't paying attention. Not really. Sam got up from the bed, turning to Sebastian. "Be right back." Sebastian nodded, and could soon hear Sam talking to his mother. She was a nice woman, offering Sebastian homemade cookies the second he walked in the door. He was impressed, since his mom couldn't make a bowl of cereal, let alone cookies. After a few minutes, Sam came back with an old keyboard, covered in dust. It looked like it hadn't been used in years and was practically Sam's height. Sam plopped it right in front of Sebastian, looking at him with a wide grin expectantly. "Try it. I promise it works." Sebastian hesitantly switched it on, and an electrical soft hum echoed from the machine. He slowly reached out, trying to decide which key to press. His finger touched the only note he knew, middle C, and he pushed the key down. A strange noise came out, and Sebastian thought it sounded nothing like a piano, but more like an electric trumpet or something, and Sam giggled. "Isn't it cool? You should learn how to play, so we can start a band. If we can recruit Abigail of course." Sebastian gave Sam a confused look. "She told me a while ago she liked drums. Plus she plays flute, so she already has some musical experience." Sebastian nodded in both understanding and approval. Out of his classmates, Abigail was certainly the most interesting, aside from Sam. For the next few hours, Sebastian and Sam tried to learn as much as they could about their instruments, picking up a few notes and chords. After dinner, though, Robin called the house and asked Sebastian to come home. Sebastian was about to wave goodbye to his new friend on the way out the door, when he was stopped by a shout from Sam. "WAIT! Hold on just a second," he yelled excitedly as he sprinted to his room, practically tripping a couple of times. Jodi watched this and giggled a little. Without turning away, she whispered, "I haven't seen him this happy in ages. Thank you Sebastian." She started to tear up a little, and wiped the water from her eyes. Sam's door opened, and he was carrying the keyboard. He was very slow with it, since it covered his whole body, but he eventually made his way to Sebastian. Straining, he said, "H-here. T-take it." Sebastian just stared wide at the gift, and Sam was starting to buckle. "Now!" He shouted, the weight crushing him. Jodi took it from his hands. "I'll help you take this home Sebastian. Say goodbye, Sam." Sam raised his hand up, waiting. Sebastian gazed at the hand unsure of what he should do. "Don't leave me hanging, dude." Sebastian smiled at his new friend. This was the last thing he was expecting from his new boring countryside life. This morning, he was the weird kid from the city, and now here he was, about to say goodbye to what he could only assume would be his new best friend. Sebastian hit the hand with a solid smack, knowing this was the beginning of something special.


	3. How the Affair Started

It was a Saturday night like any other at the Stardrop Saloon. The cheesy bar music was blaring in the background, Shane was drinking himself silly on his favorite stool, and I was enjoying my weekly treat, a Cosmopolitan. I really needed to get drunk tonight. My best customer, the farmer just north of my ranch, died the week before, and truth be told, it was pretty heartbreaking. He was such a sweet old man, playing with baby Jas and occasionally helping me with the cows when they were particularly fussy. I think the whole town felt it on some level, some faking their lack of grief better than others. Mayor Lewis was definitely the worst at it, brooding in his house since hearing the news. So when he walked into the saloon that night, I was a little shocked, honestly. He had this look on his face I had never seen before, a distant look, like he didn't notice anyone else there. He caught me staring, and stared back, before walking over to me at my usual table.

"Hello, Marnie," he greeted, though it wasn't his usual lively greeting, more like he said it out of obligation.

"Mayor Lewis," I returned, raising my glass. There was an awkward silence for a moment, neither of us sure what to say. We hadn't talked since before his death, and even then it was just casual conversation. But I decide to give a little, and ask the necessary question.

"How have you been?"

He sighed heavily, and looked down, before answering.

"Can I be honest with you Marnie?"

I nodded, and before he spoke, I shouted at Gus.

"Can we get a beer over here?!" Gus laughed while filling a pint glass with the beer on tap, and delivered the drink, setting it on the table. Lewis smiled and thanked me before taking a large swig, the beer practically falling down his face.

He let out a breath and played with his little mustache before speaking.

"I haven't been this miserable in a long time. I mean, he was such a kind man. He helped everywhere he could, not ever thinking of himself. And he just...loved life. He loved his farm, and this town, and everyone in it. You just don't...you don't see many people like that. Honestly, I'm not sure how this town is even going to function without him. I don't know if I can take care of all of it by myself." I felt so bad for him, sounding so lost and scared, so I tried to butter him up a little.

"Lewis, you're the best mayor I've ever seen run this town. You'll be just fine." Lewis gave me a cold look.

"Marnie, I'm the only mayor you've ever seen run this town." I laughed a little, partly due the alcohol, but partly because I wanted him to think better of himself.

"True, but remember Pelican Town before it had a mayor? Nothing got done. None of our businesses were registered, couples weren't officially married, and no one kept track of their money. Including me. But you set us all straight. If you hadn't stepped up, we would have all moved on by now and gone who knows where. So give yourself some credit." Lewis sighed and took another big swig, before ordering another beer. His eyes stared at the table sullenly, like he was attempting to hold back tears.

"That's just it. All I've ever done is work. I've worked for this town for years, but no one cares. I worked so hard that I never got a chance to live my life. I've got no kids, no wife, no apprentice, nothing. I'll just be another grave in that patch of dirt out there. No one will remember me."

I felt bad for the guy, don't get me wrong, but at this point, he wasn't even trying to feel better. He just wanted a pity party. A little tipsy, I slammed down my glass, annoyed at his self- indulgence.

"I'll remember you, and so will every single citizen of Pelican Town! Without you, this town wouldn't exist! I don't have a husband, or kids of my own. All I have is an alcoholic nephew, a toddler niece who was just handed to me, and a ranch that's probably going out of business, so just shut up and drink." Lewis was shocked at my harshness for a moment, his mouth open, but he nodded before chugging his drink and asking for another. I felt bad about being so harsh. He needed to hear it, but I could have been nicer.

"Sorry, Lewis. I shouldn't have been so mean. But I do think you should buck up a little and move on. Besides, you shouldn't give up on finding a wife. I know you're a little older, but you still look good."

He laughed, the alcohol starting to kick in.

"You don't look too bad yourself."

I blushed at the unexpected compliment, and looked away in embarrassment before responding.

"Let's just drink until we forget our sorrows, shall we?"

Lewis laughed again and raised his glass. I clinked it against my own.

The rest of the night was filled with beer, vodka, and laughter. Lewis and I joked and drank for what felt like only a few minutes, but before long, Gus announced it was last call, and we left the saloon together. We sat on a bench outside, drunk off our asses and giddy. The moon was covered tonight, and stars shone above us. No one was outside at this time of night, so we were completely and totally alone. I didn't want to leave Lewis alone, but I knew it was time for the both of us to get some sleep, so I decided to leave.

"Alright, it's time for me to go home," I said, standing up and wobbling.

"No, don't leave," Lewis protested.

"I have to..." I drunkenly tried to find the words. "...work tomorrow. And you... you have a town to run. So... I... better..." I lost my unsteady balance and fell, face first into the grass, and we both exploded in giggles before he helped me up, pulling on my arm and keeping me steady.

"You're in no condition to walk home. Just sleep on my couch."

Normally, I would have insisted on getting home, but I was happy he was taking care of me, so I nodded. We somehow made it his house, and Lewis swung the door open. We took off our shoes and plopped onto the couch, both exhausted.

"Thanks, Lewis."

"No problem," he responded, and sunk further into the cushions.

At that moment, I realized how adorable he was, about to fall asleep, his mustached curled over his lip, and I was more attracted to him than I had ever been. He caught me staring again, and looked at me with suspicion.

"What?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it," I answered, trying to retain my composure. He leaned in close, trying to figure out what was wrong with me, but I didn't move. I just sat still as he stared into my eyes, and before I knew what I was doing, I pressed my mouth against his. He pulled back suddenly in shock, and looked at me before quickly going in for another kiss. We made out on the couch for probably ten minutes before he picked me up and carried me to his bedroom.

The next morning my headache was searing, a sharp pain digging into my skull. With a groan I sat up in the bed, still groggy and unsure of where I was. Then, after a few seconds, I realized the events of the night before. I groaned in remembrance.I heard Lewis breathing deeply in sleep next to me, and I looked at him in his peaceful rest. I sighed and smiled at the memories of last night. At the time it felt so right, so natural. But what would happen now? He'd probably insist we forget about it and move on, which I understand, but I don't know, even sober and clearly thinking now, I wanted to be with him. He wouldn't want to be with me though, I just knew it. He's too absorbed in his job to do anything else, and he was probably just feeling lonely last night. I sighed and decided to go while he was asleep, so I could avoid the inevitable heartbreak. I slowly opened the sheets and dressed, careful to not wake him. I went into the kitchen where I found a stack of blank paper on the counter. I took a piece and a pen from his desk and began to write.

 _Lewis,_

 _Last night was fun, but I won't tell anyone about it._

 _This is just between us._

 _You've been feeling lost without him, and I get it, you were lonely. Plus, we were pretty drunk._

 _It would probably be best if we never did this again, for both our sakes._

 _Marnie_

I left the note on table, so he wouldn't miss it, and headed out the door, the sun's light piercing into my hungover eyes. I squinted them shut and slowly walked towards the ranch. Based on how bright the damn sun was, it probably at least nine. With my awful headache, that walk felt like a marathon, but I eventually got back and sighed in relief, looking forward to the prospect of my own bed. I opened the door to find Shane working the counter, holding Jas in one arm. No one else was there, like always.

"Where the hell have you been?" Shane demanded, a scowl plastered on his face. I groaned.

"I'll explain later, but right now, I'm really hungover and need to go to bed," I answered. His scowl just got scarier. I tried to walk to my bedroom, but Shane guarded the door.

"No. Explain now. I'm hungover too, you know. I mean, I'm always hungover, but still. You're supposed to be the responsible one, Marnie. What happened?" Shane's voice was starting to get louder, and my head was not responding well.

"Shhh..." I pleaded, "Ok, ok. Just quiet down." His scowl turned into what I can only describe as an 'You'd better have a good explanation' face. I sighed before telling him the version that should have happened.

"Me and Mayor Lewis got really drunk last night, and I couldn't make it home, so he let me sleep on his couch. I came back here as soon as I woke up." This answer didn't satisfy Shane, who stood there disapprovingly.

"That's it?" He asked skeptically.

"That's it," I assured. "Now can I please, PLEASE, go to bed?" Shane sighed.

"Fine, but you're doing all the evening chores." I nodded, and Shane moved out of the way, finally letting me into my sanctuary.

The rest of the day was quiet as I slept off my hangover. A couple people came into the shop and went, and I did the evening chores as promised. The animals were confused at this, since Shane usually does the evening chores while I do the morning ones, but other than that, everything was pretty normal. I put Jas down for bed, and I stayed up to do some bookkeeping while Shane left for the bar. As I crunched the numbers, that were of course too low, I thought of Lewis, wondering if he would completely ignore me now, or if he would insist on telling me he didn't want me to my face, to make himself feel better. I also wondered what it would be like to be married to him. I could live in his house, or he could live here. Maybe he could whip Shane into shape and help me raise Jas.

At around 11:30, there was a knock at the door. _Who the hell-_ No. It couldn't be. No way. Another knock. I got up, and opened the door, to find Lewis standing there, looking down.

"Hey, Marnie," he said despondently. Clearly he didn't want to be here.

"Hey, Lewis." There was an instant of awkward silence, before I opened the door wider.

"Wanna come in?" He nodded, and stepped into the old house. I shut the door.

"So... what brings you here at this hour, Lewis?" I questioned, hoping he would say-

"Your stupid note Marnie. That's why I'm here." he said sternly. "What the hell is this? 'It would probably be best if we never did this again, for both our sakes?' That's ridiculous, Marnie," he said, holding the paper up. He was looking at me deeply now, half in anger and half in kindness. I didn't know how else to respond but by being angry back.

"So you don't think our one night, stupid, drunk affair shouldn't be forgotten? Look, Lewis, it was fun, but-"

Before I could finish my sentence, Lewis wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me in for a long, deep kiss. It was wonderful in every way, and I was a little disappointed when he pulled away.

"I don't want it to ever end, Marnie. Last night was the best I've felt in years."

My mouth fell open in surprise, and I tried to find some words, but none came out, so Lewis kept talking.

"No one has to know. It can be just between me and you, because that's all that matters, Marnie. You're all that matters."

This time I pulled him in for a kiss, and neither of us pulled away. We managed to get my bedroom door open, and disappeared in bliss for another night.

The next morning was much more pleasant than the last, Lewis staying for a while as we cuddled and talked. When Shane knocked on the door, it was like a dream was ending.

"Just a second! I'm getting dressed!" Lewis' eyes went wide in realization as we hopped up and quickly dressed. I opened the window for him to escape, and before he left, he gave me a final kiss. He climbed out the back window frantically and I closed it, now clothed. I opened the door. Shane was standing there holding a basket, practically shoving it at me.

"You're on egg duty," he ordered, and went to his room. I looked at the mess of a bed Lewis and I had left behind, noting to wash it later. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something on the floor. His lucky purple shorts.


	4. Terrible Secret

Pierre knew Caroline wasn't herself lately, based on the fact she was either gone on one of her 'walks,' or brooding in their bedroom. Pierre suspected she might be depressed, but Caroline denied it thoroughly, refusing to make an appointment with Harvey and generally avoiding the subject of her feelings. She used to be so warm and loving, but these days she didn't even look at Pierre, her eyes always on the ground. Not that he could blame her, really. Between picking up and moving to a country town was enough stress, but on top of that, Caroline had been desperately trying to get pregnant for the last year, but to no avail. Since yet another failed pregnancy test last week, she had been like this. Pierre wasn't sure how to help. She said she didn't want to adopt, and she insisted on staying away from the doctor, so he was out of ideas. One day, as he was closing up the store, Pierre saw Caroline sullenly open the door, the welcome bell now having a kind of sadness to it. He smiled warmly at her.

"Welcome home," he greeted, sweeping the floor. She made a noise resembling 'Hey' in response, and Pierre sighed, continuing to sweep. Caroline slid by him, making a beeline straight for the bedroom, not wanting to have another uncomfortable conversation. Pierre watched the door close and was disheartened to see his wife like this. He put the broom away and knocked on the door. No response.

"Can I come in?" He asked, trying to be as gentle as possible.

She sighed and responded, "I guess."

Pierre opened the door to find Caroline laying on the floor, head towards the ceiling, watching the fan rotate. This wasn't an unusual sight, so Pierre just sat on the edge of the bed, and didn't say anything for a couple of minutes, just going between looking at her and the fan, deciding what he should do. Force her to Harvey's? Make him come here? He probably wouldn't mind. Maybe he could follow her on her walk, and see what she was doing. She's catch him though; Pierre wasn't that sneaky. He decided to try to talk to her one more time before taking any other action.

"Caroline?"

She didn't even look at him before answering.

"Yeah?"

"What-what's happening honey? You haven't been yourself lately, and I'm getting worried you might do something... rash."

Caroline shrugged, expression unchanging.

"You mean kill myself? I've thought about it, but no, I'm not going to."

Pierre gasped slightly that she had even thought of it. He thought he had been exaggerating.

"Is it because you're not pregnant?"

She didn't answer for a while, clearly uncomfortable with the question. She kept watching the fan spin, trying to come up with a way to make it sound better so he wasn't so worried, but there was only one way to put it.

"Yes."

Pierre got up and lied next to her on the floor, joining her to her left.

"Then can we please see Harvey?"

He was pleading with her at this point, desperate for any solution. But Caroline just sighed again.

"I told you, I don't want to."

Pierre turned his head to see Caroline next to him.

"Why not?"

"Because he's going to tell us we can't have kids."

"How can you be so sure?"

Caroline's eyes were beginning to water, and her throat was starting to choke.

"Because we've been trying for a year, Pierre."

Pierre fought the urge to roll his eyes at the argument, becoming annoyed and her childish behavior.

"Caroline, it could be anything. You could just have a lower chance of getting pregnant than other women. Or it could be me. And if that's true, we could get a surrogate, or adopt, or-" Caroline's tears didn't stop, spilling from her face as she started to sob. Pierre put his arms around her, trying to calm her down to no avail.

Caroline wept and laid there on the floor for several minutes before she was able to speak.

"I just...want it to be mine, Pierre. I want the baby to grow inside of me, and I want to go through the pain, and the morning sickness, and the mood swings, and the labor, because that's what a mother does."

Pierre sighed, trying to figure out what to say. There was no easy solution to this. She wanted to be a mom more than anything, and he shared a similar feeling.

"Caroline, there are so many happy families in the world because of adoption and surrogacy."

Caroline didn't have a logical or real response to that. She knew it was true, but she didn't want that. She wanted to be able to do this without any problems, which at this point, that prospect was long gone. But she had to give Pierre a reason to leave her alone, so she could sulk for a while.

"I know, but it wouldn't be the same."

Pierre was out of ideas, and gave up. If she didn't want to see a doctor, and she didn't want to look into other solutions, what could be done? Pierre sighed and stood up.

"I'm making stew for dinner."

He left the room, leaving Caroline alone. After staring at the fan for a little while longer, she realized she had to go to the bathroom. As usual, she figured she might as well try a pregnancy test, even though she knew what the inevitable result was.

"Negative," Caroline mumbled to herself, reading the outcome of the test. She decided to go on another walk, but this time she wouldn't even tell Pierre. No, this time would be different. This time, she was going to come back to this house with a baby in her belly. She opened the bathroom door to find Pierre cooking, busy with his task. She slid by him effortlessly, and left the building without any problems.

Caroline left the house to the cool air of evening, and found most of the citizens of Pelican Town had gone in for supper. _Perfect,_ Caroline thought. She started the practically automatic walk on her route. The impending darkness of twilight was creeping up around her, just light enough for her to find her way. Getting around town was easy, but once she got in the forest, Caroline knew she would have to rely on her sense of familiarity to reach her destination.

Caroline was in front of Marnie's ranch when she heard a sudden rustling in a nearby bush. Immediately fearing Pierre had found her, she jumped in fright and yelped. To her surprise, Mayor Lewis stepped out of the bush.

"Shhh! Caroline, it's me!" Lewis whisper yelled.

He was the last person she expected to see in that bush, but was relieved.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline asked.

Lewis stepped out of the bush.

"I could ask you the same thing."

Caroline looked around, trying to avoid the mayor's gaze.

"I won't ask if you won't."

He nodded.

"Fine by me."

Caroline turned to leave and didn't turn back around, but she could have sworn she heard Lewis open a window in the distance. She shrugged and kept moving, feeling the trees around her to help her find her way. There was no light in the forest, especially now that night had completely fallen. She strayed from the path a few times, but eventually found the correct route, and stood in front of the wizard's tower before entering, knowing this was the point of no return. She took a deep breath and marched up the ancient stairs. Before she could even knock, the wizard swung open the door.

"What are you doing here?"

"You know why."

The wizard sighed and let her in. He then began to make a potion in his large cauldron, almost like he was pretending Caroline wasn't there.

Caroline didn't want to interrupt, but also was desperate to know how the potion was going.

"So..um- "

"What? I told you, I'm working on the potion. It might take a while."

"I've waited a year, wizard. I want a baby now."

The wizard put a hand to his face in annoyance.

"Look, I've been trying to make you a pregnancy potion for over a year now. What do you want me to do Caroline? There's no way to make this go any faster. I'm doing everything I can. I've tried every solution I can think of."

Caroline paused a second before a smirk grazed her face.

"Not EVERY solution."

It took him a second, but once the wizard understood, he raised his eyebrows in shock.

"No, Caroline, I can't."

"Yes you can. I know you can."

"Well, I CAN, but I SHOULDN'T. What would Pierre think?"

"Pierre wouldn't have to know."

"Caroline, he's your husband. Don't you love him?"

"Yeah, but, clearly he can't get me pregnant."

The wizard sighed.

"Look Caroline, I don't think it's a good idea. Only trouble can come from it."

Caroline began to slowly step towards him in a way that practically made the wizard's mouth water, swinging her hips and her eyes having a deep, seductive look to them, like she was going to get what she wanted. The crush the wizard had attempted to fight back for the past year was starting to rear its' head. He wanted her. There was no denying that. He had wanted that for a long time. But he couldn't. No, he just couldn't.

"B-back off, Caroline. I-I..."

She was getting closer now, only a few feet away. The wizard started to back up, trying in one last futile attempt to avoid her, only to end up in a corner. Caroline reached him, a wicked smile growing across her face, mere inches from his.

"Caroline..."

She interrupted him with a sudden and deep kiss, and the wizard was sure for a moment he was dreaming. This wasn't real. No way. Pierre's wife wasn't kissing him, tempting him to kiss her back. But he loved this dream, it was so perfect, too beautiful. She parted her lips, silently asking for the wizard to part his for better access to his mouth. He couldn't resist anymore. Almost involuntarily, he gave in, returning the kiss. They held each other in that corner for a bit, before the wizard found himself picking her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, capturing him. They found their way to the latch that led to the basement, almost tripping over furniture and potions strewed about the floor. The wizard lifted the latch and led Caroline into his secret chamber underground, where they would be completely isolated.

A few hours later, Caroline stood up and dressed as she watched the wizard sleep peacefully, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. She sighed softly, zipping up her jeans. _Sorry._ She thought. _I wish it didn't have to be like this, but I had no other choice. I wonder if we can ever be friends again after this? Probably not, especially if he tells Pierre. Oh no._ She hadn't thought of that before. What if the wizard told him? It would ruin any hope Caroline would have of a perfect family. The baby wouldn't have a full-time father, and she might never be able to mend their marriage. She had to make absolutely sure Pierre never found out. She hurriedly climbed the ladder that led to the main area of the tower, determined to find a memory potion to prevent the worst from happening. She scavenged the shelves and cabinets, desperate to find something, _anything._ But all the potions were labeled in a strange language that Caroline couldn't read, and she was growing frustrated. Caroline was resorting to looking in his books to find a recipe. Not that she knew the first thing about magic, but it was better than nothing. Caroline was skimming a book about arcane magic when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. A twinge of fear shot down her spine, knowing who was behind her. She turned slowly around, and found the wizard standing behind her, a small frown on his face.

"Caroline, don't worry. I won't tell him, if that's what you want."

Caroline sighed, knowing this might be hard for him to accept, and she felt a little guilty.

"I'm sorry-"

The wizard held his hand up, and Caroline stopped speaking.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"But-"

"I'll be okay Caroline. I knew what I was getting into. I thought it might lead here if I couldn't make a potion for you."

Caroline looked down in shame, remembering the last few hours, and for some reason, hearing that he was expecting it made her feel worse, that he knew she used him. The wizard didn't say anything, but he scanned the room, looking around among the concoctions Caroline had been searching through. His head perked up a little when his eyes found a small blue vial on a table. He retrieved it, and went back over to Caroline, holding out the liquid to her. She smiled in appreciation.

"Thank you. For everything."

The wizard just nodded, knowing if he spoke, she might be able to hear the choking in his throat. Caroline gave him a quick peck on the cheek before running out of the tower, not looking back. As soon as she exited, she stopped in front of his door, and with a deep breath, took the top off the vial. She closed her eyes and chugged the liquid in one swallow, a faint blueberry taste on her tongue. Caroline left the empty vial on the wizard's door mat before walking off, noticing that it was pitch black, and it had to be the middle of the night by now.

Caroline made her way back to her house, relying on feel, and the walk took longer than usual, the guilt eating at her mind. Soon enough though, she found her house, and opened the door slowly, trying to avoid Pierre if she could. As soon as she entered, though, she saw Pierre in the shop, on the phone with someone. The lights were on, so there was no hope of escape. Pierre instantly looked up at the sound, and dropped the phone before running to her. He wrapped her in a tight embrace, that Caroline neither denied nor returned, her arms hanging to her sides.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," Pierre said shakily, his breaths ragged. "I thought... I thought you had... Oh, Caroline, I was so scared."

She finally returned the hug, feeling a mix of happiness that Pierre cared so much and guilt that she had betrayed him. Pierre started to cry in her arms.

"Don't worry. I won't. I promise. And... I won't go on those walks anymore. They hurt more than help, I realize that now."

"Thank god," Pierre breathed, his voice strained. He loosened the hug, and looked into her eyes, before moving some hair off her face lightly.

"We'll get through this, I promise."

Caroline smiled a little, happy to see her husband being so supportive. She knew she had to meet him halfway, especially after what she did.

"Let's see Harvey tomorrow. I want to know our options."

Pierre smiled back and pulled in for another hug.

"Okay. Sounds good. What do you say we get some rest?"

Caroline nodded against his shoulder. Pierre kissed her on the cheek before pulling away completely, going to say goodbye to whoever he was talking to on the phone, leaving Caroline alone for a moment. She decided to get ready for bed, heading for the bathroom. Next to the toilet were her pile of pregnancy tests, and she shrugged. _What the hell,_ she thought, taking one from its' package and beginning the test. After finishing her business, she let the test sit on the counter, brushing her teeth as she waited for the result. She could hear Pierre outside the room, stepping into the bedroom. She spat out the toothpaste, rinsed her mouth, and glanced at the test, her eyes shooting open wide in shock.

The test showed a blue plus sign.


	5. Someone Strange

Robin sat behind the desk, bored out of her mind. She hadn't seen a customer in hours, and the mundanities of this town were starting to dawn on her. She missed the city sometimes; always something to do, something to see, someone to talk to. Here Robin saw the same few people every day, never changing their same routines. She had found it admirable, but after living here for a few months, knowing this might fill the rest of her days scared her a little. Sebastian lay on the floor next to her playing some game that Sam had let him borrow, completely engrossed in it. Robin sighed to herself. She knew it was best for her son to leave that place, to let him grow up somewhere more calm. And yet, she longed for excitement. She longed for the hustle and bustle, for something new. There was only an hour until the shop closed, and for moment, Robin considered closing early. It's not like anyone else would show up before closing, but of course if she did close, someone would show up, and she could use the money. More than that, she needed a task for something to fix or build.. Robin closed her eyes, picturing building a whole basement level for her house that was all her own. Her own design, her own hard work, her own project. Maybe someday. For now though, she decided to get a glass of water, just to pass the time. It wouldn't waste much time, but it was something. She stepped away from the counter and went into the kitchen, picking up her favorite cup, Sebastian's old Bob the Builder plastic one, and began to fill it with water. She almost dropped the cup in surprise when the door opened out of nowhere. Robin sighed and put the cup next to the sink. While walking back to post, she recited her greeting. "Need anything built?" She asked, and found someone she had not expected. For this town, he was certainly strange. For starters, he was black, which was uncommon around Stardew Valley. His clothes were also different from the others, made for looking nice rather than comfort. It was Demetrius, who she honestly didn't know much about. She had only heard his name from others in the town. She saw him a few times around, at Pierre's shop or whatever, but never talked to him for more than a friendly 'hello.' He chuckled a little. It was one of those low laughs that was satisfying to listen to, making Robin smile involuntarily. He smiled at Robin, making her chest swell. She had been attracted to him for a while now, and that was part of the reason she never talked to him much. She was nervous around him. But it wasn't really a crush, since she knew nothing about him, but more like an appreciation for him. Robin guessed he had to be married, though to who, she could never guess.

"Well, in a sense," he said, not exactly knowing how to tell her his problem.

Robin smiled back at him, and replied, "whatever it is, I'm sure I can help. I've been around the block with carpentry, you know."

Demetrius looked down at his feet. "I- I kind of, well-"

Robin interrupted him. "Oh lord, did you try to fix something yourself?' He grimaced at her. "Maybe?"

Robin still had a smile on her face as she sighed loudly.

"Oh boy. Let me guess, you wanted to save the money and prove to your wife you could do it?

" Demetrius chuckled again. 'No, but you're close. I wanted to save the money, but there's no wife."

Robin's heart perked up at that. _No wife? I have a chance? Play it cool. Do your job._

"So, what are the damages?" Demetrius was relieved Robin didn't ask about his wife. He didn't want her fake sympathy, like most people gave him.

"The roof was leaking, so I tried to patch it, and I just made a bigger hole. Honestly, I feel stupid for even trying to fix it. I'm not handy at all."

She nodded her head. "I see. I've dealt with this before. You're not the first, and I promise you won't be the last, so don't worry too much. Hold on just a second."

Robin crouched down behind the counter to pick up a piece of paper and pen to estimate the cost. _Let's see, probably some shingles, wood, 5 hours of labor..._ She wrote all of this down, Demetrius watching carefully to prepare himself for the inevitable expense. As she was doing this, Robin found that Sebastian was tugging on her pant leg. She didn't even hear him get up in the first place. She gave Demetrius the 'just one second' finger and bent down further to his level.

She whispered, "what is it? A customer is here, honey. You know not to interrupt Mommy."

Sebastian pointed to his device. "But it's out of batteries."

Robin groaned to herself. "We'll get some batteries when the shop closes. Go and play in your room."

Sebastian frowned, and Robin could tell he was probably about to have a fit, or at least be a pest until Demetrius left.

"Don't make that face at me. Room. Now."

Just then, Robin heard Demetrius clear his throat, and she gave Sebastian a glare before standing back up.

"So sorry about that," she apologized, having heard the throat clear of impatience before from Pierre.

"No, don't worry about it. In fact," he paused for a moment, searching through his pockets, looking for something. He pulled out two AA batteries, and held them out to Robin.

"Take them. My daughter always needs fresh ones for her machines and things." Robin's annoyance melted in an instant. Not only was he understanding, he actually helped out. It was more than her ex-husband had ever done.

She took them with a wide grin. "Thank you," she said as she handed Sebastian the batteries. He immediately snatched them with a quick 'thanks' before running for his room anyway, assumingly to play his game without further interruption. As soon as he was gone Robin turned back to Demetrius.

"Really, thank you so much. You're a life saver."

He held up his hand. "No problem. I've got plenty, and I know how kids get. When Maru is set on a machine, she won't stop until it's done, no matter what."

"Wait, your daughter is Maru?"

Demetrius nodded. Robin ushered him closer with leaning her head closer to his. She blushed a little at the close proximity before whispering,

"Sebastian talks about her sometimes. He says she always gets every question right in class, and he hates it when she shoots her hand up before the other kids."

Demetrius chuckled, before pulling away and shaking his head. "That's my Maru. You know, she says Sebastian is one of the nicest kids in the class."

Robin leaned back in shock. "MY Sebastian? He actually talks to the other kids?"

"Well, no. She said he gave Alex half of his sandwich when he forgot his lunch. And that he helped Maru find her favorite color crayon when she thought she lost it." Robin smiled.

"Huh. I honestly didn't expect that out of him. He's so quiet."

"Well, with such a wonderful mother, it doesn't surprise me." There was a sting of silence in the room, as if God himself was pulling on a string of romantic tension. She cleared her throat, and tried to compose herself after such a statement. "So, back to the price..." He held his breath when Robin looked back at her paper, preparing for financial blow. "Looks like your total is going to be about 2,500 gold."

Demetrius let out his breath. It wasn't nearly as bad as he expected. Robin laughed a little, breaking the tension.

"Fearing the worst?" She teased, and he laughed back.

"I never do seem to learn I can't fix anything myself. This isn't the first time something like this has happened." He reached into another pocket for his checkbook and wrote Robin a check for the amount and handed it to her. Robin took the check and placed it in her pseudo register, a shoe box of cash, and turned to Demetrius.

"Ok then. I'll be by first thing in the morning to fix that roof." Demetrius nodded.

"I look forward to it." He smiled and turned to leave, before stopping at the door to give Robin a little wave. She waved back, and as soon as he left, she sighed in relief. _How the hell am I going to fix his roof tomorrow for five hours? Just five minutes with him and I'm defeated. If he's anything like this tomorrow, he'll probably invite me in for lemonade and cookies at some point._ _Not that I would mind..._ she shot up in realization. _Crap, I like him. Not good. This can't go anywhere Robin._

When Robin arrived at Demetrius' house the next day, her old pickup truck was filled to the brim with supplies she probably didn't need, but she really didn't want to go back to her house to get more. Especially when his was way out here in the woods. Honestly, the house was barely even that. It was more like an old cabin than an actual house. The wood around the frame was practically falling apart, what was left of the roof sunk in slightly, and any metal visible on the doorknobs and windows was rusted over. Forget fixing the roof. Demetrius needed a new house altogether. At eight o'clock she knocked quietly on the front door, not wanting to wake Maru on a Saturday, only to hear her yelling behind the doorway.

"DAAAAAAD! Robin's here!"

Robin heard a few steps, and Demetrius whispering, "Maru, I'm right here. No need to yell." Robin giggled a little to herself before the door swung open, and she instantly tensed up.

"Good Morning, Robin," Demetrius greeted with a smile.

"Morning," she returned.

"I'm glad you're here. The forecast doesn't look good, and the last thing we need in this house is a flood."

Robin couldn't help but frown. _How do I tell him he needs a new house as nicely as possible?_

"Is something the matter?" He asked, seeing the conflict on her face.

 _Crap._

"It's that, how do I put this? Your house is..." She struggled to find the correct word.

"Yes?" He urged on, wanting to hear a professional's judgement.

"Well, it's just, you know, _crusty._ You're gonna need more than just a roof patch to protect yourself. If you ask me, this whole thing needs to come down."

Demetrius paused for a brief moment before chuckling, and making Robin involuntarily smile again.

"I'm sorry, I've never heard my house described many ways, but I think 'crusty' is my favorite so far."

He stopped laughing, calming himself down, and stepped outside next to Robin, making her tense up even more. He crossed his arms and inspected his house from the outside, like he was looking at it for the first time. He nodded his head a few times before sighing.

"It's a piece of crap, isn't it?" He asked, turning his toward Robin.

"Pretty much," she stated bluntly.

Demetrius let out a little air from his nose in sort of a half-laugh.

"Sorry. I know it hurts the carpenter part of you, but I love this place. It has too many memories."

Robin groaned in annoyance. "That's what they all say, and then a year later I get a call about the roof caving in."

Demetrius nodded a few times, considering this. "Honestly, you're probably right, but every time I think about buying a new place, I start to miss this house before I even sell it."

"You really think anyone would buy it?" She asked sarcastically.

"You would. For scrap, maybe?" He offered, knowing it was a losing battle.

"I can't think of a single thing I could make out of this pile of garbage," she said truthfully. She really did want to make him some sort of offer for it, but it was truly unsalvageable. None of the materials could be used whatsoever. For a minute or two, they both just stared at the house, Demetrius no doubt going through old memories in his mind. Robin didn't want to ask about his lack of a wife, but she could guess she was dead. When she divorced her husband, she wanted to burn anything that had ever been theirs, and to never even think of it again. But Demetrius looked fondly at this house, like he cherished it. So either she was dead, or he had some regrets when she left him or something.

"Ready to fix the pile of garbage?" Demetrius took Robin out of her thoughts suddenly. She took a second to register the question before responding,

"That's impossible. But I can keep you and Maru alive for a few more minutes."

He started to walk back to his door, but before he turned the handle, he called, "Let me know if you need anything!"

Robin was already in another world in her mind, trying to figure this out inevitable mess out, mentally measuring lengths of wood and shingles. She only registered what Demetrius said a few seconds later.

"Oh. Yeah, sure," she said dismissively, staring at the roof. Demetrius smiled at her while she was off in her own world, and she didn't even notice when he closed the front door. She took a deep breath and rolled up both her sleeves in determination.

 _Time to get to work._

When Robin finally hammered in the last nail to fix the unmistakably large hole in the roof, she stood up and stepped back to admire her work. What had previously been the worst part of the roof had turned into the best, and Robin had the urge to just fix the rest, if only to ease her mind. She knew if she did that though, she wouldn't stop, probably continuing to fix the very foundation. _Not that I wouldn't mind being here all the time._ She closed her head and shook her head, trying to get the thought out of her mind, when she heard the first roll of thunder. It must be that rain Demetrius was talking about. She had honestly forgotten all about it, hurrying to pack up her supplies.

"Hey! Need any help?!" Demetrius yelled from the ground below her.

Robin picked up her toolbox, and stood so she could see him. He was standing at the foot of her ladder, in a raincoat and an umbrella in hand. The thunder was growing louder, and Robin could feel the beginnings of the shower start to sprinkle down.

"I'm not letting you anywhere near these tools!" She teased. Demetrius smiled a little to himself.

"Har har! Seriously, I could help carry some stuff to the truck or something!"

Robin really didn't have much to carry. Just the toolbox and some shingles, but this ladder might blow over. As much as she hated help, she knew it was one of those times to let go of her pride for her own safety.

"Hold the ladder while I come down!"

Demetrius nodded and dropped the umbrella. He held onto the ladder with both hands on either side as tightly as he could, when he felt Robin's weight on the ladder. Demetrius looked down at his feet, trying not to look at Robin's body close to his. She made her way down the ladder, one hand holding the toolbox and shingles while the other helped balance her. Every step down was more hesitated than usual, but she could feel Demetrius holding onto the ladder securely. When she was finally down, she turned around to face Demetrius, and she was trapped between his arms. They both gasped slightly at the sudden closeness, but neither of them minded enough to make any more sound. Their eyes found each other, and the storm, which starting to form around them, seemed to vanish. Even though it was just for a second, it had felt like hours had passed before Demetrius stepped back and cleared his throat.

"I'll... get the, uh, ladder," Demetrius offered, and Robin didn't protest. The wind was now howling, and the rain was past being a simple drizzle and turned into a full-blown rainfall, lightning cracking in the distance. While Demetrius attempted to grab the ladder, which he struggled to pick up, Robin ran to her truck, where she threw the toolbox and shingles into the bed. Immediately she ran back to Demetrius to help him. He was trying to get the ladder to fit under his armpit so he could wrap his arm around it, but kept dropping it. As soon as he saw Robin running towards him, he set it down and ran to what would be the top of the ladder, waiting for her to carry the bottom. She quickly picked up the bottom, and he followed suit, sprinting as fast as they could to the truck. Thunder roaring in their ears, and the downpour stinging their faces, the pair ran in the darkness, finding the truck by the brightness of lightning strikes. They lifted the ladder and threw it over their shoulders into the truck bed.

"Thanks for the help! I'll see you around!" Robin shouted over the storm, running to the driver's side of her truck.

Demetrius yelled back desperately, "Are you crazy?! You can't drive in this! Get inside!"

Robin opened the door, the wind making it feel like it weighed fifty pounds. It shut almost as soon as it opened, Robin finding Demetrius with his hand on the door.

"There's no way I'm letting you drive in this!" Demetrius commanded, and if Robin was honest with herself, it kind of turned her on. She decided to stay, the desire to stay with him taking over her desire to get home. Demetrius grabbed her arm, and even though she could have easily gotten out of his weak grip, she let him drag her into the house, the door slamming behind them. Maru was sitting by the door, and when they got in, she ran to her father.

"Daddy!" She yelled, and hugged his legs in relief. He bent down, and returned the embrace.

"I'm okay sweetie. Everything's fine. The roof is fixed and we're safe." He pulled back a little to look at her. "Why don't you get ready for bed and I'll tuck you in?" Maru nodded, running off to her room. Robin smiled at the sight, and remembered Sebastian. She realized she should probably call Sam's mom.

"Mind if I use your phone?" Robin asked.

"Of course," Demetrius said and picked up the device from the wall and handed it to her. She dialed the number and heard Jodi answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jodi. It's Robin."

"Oh! Thank goodness you're safe! I think Sebastian was starting to worry, though he'd never say so."

Robin smiled to herself, imaging Sebastian trying to hide his feelings like always.

"Do you mind if Sebastian sleeps over? I'd feel better if he stayed in for the night."

"Oh no problem! Sam just loves sleepovers. But where are you?"

"I'm at Demetrius'."

"Oh _really?_ "

"Oh, come on. I fixed his roof and the storm came out of nowhere, that's all."

"Uh huh, _rrrrriiiight,_ " Jodi teased, "just _fixing his roof._ Okay."

"Sorry to disappoint, but that's really it."

Jodi giggled a little to herself. Robin could hear trying to hide it, the phone no doubt away from her face.

"Call me tomorrow with the deets."

"I'll call you when I'm ready to pick up Sebastian."

" _Okayyyyyy._ See you tomorrow. _Good luck._ "

Robin closed her eyes and put her fingers over them in annoyance before hanging the phone back on the wall. She opened her eyes to find that Demetrius had disappeared, and she supposed he was tucking in Maru. Finally alone, Robin had the chance to look around the home. She found that the inside was actually not too bad, unlike the disaster that was the house from the outside. Sure, it was small, with only two bedrooms, a bathroom, and the living room and kitchen in the same space, but it was clean and well kept. A few crayon drawings hung on the fridge, and family photos lined every wall. Curious, Robin walked up to the hallway leading to the bedrooms, which had the most photos. A few featured Maru holding up some device, some of her as a baby, and one with Demetrius and Maru at the Feast of the Winter Star, exchanging presents and laughing. The one that especially caught her eye, though, was a simple family photo, taken in front of the house. It still looked like crap, but in this picture, Demetrius held a bundle in his arms, presumably Maru. The most interesting part, though, was the woman standing next to him. She smiled to the camera, grinning widely, and Robin could tell it wasn't just picture happiness on her face. It was pure joy, and it practically radiated not only from her, but from Demetrius as well. Their eyes shined in joy, and Robin smiled to herself at the sight. She guessed this might be the day they moved in, and were probably excited to start their new life together. The woman was one of the most beautiful Robin had ever seen, but it wasn't like a picture of a gorgeous model, where her beauty was fake. No, this woman was naturally beautiful, since not even a speck of makeup appeared to be on her face, and she was wearing only a simple set of sweats. Her skin and hair were a silky light brown, and Robin could almost feel its smoothness.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Demetrius asked behind Robin. She turned her head to find him behind her, and stepped up next to her to look at the photo. She hadn't even heard him approach, let alone open and close Maru's door.

"She really is."

They both stared at the photo for a few beats before Demetrius spoke up again.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

Robin turned her head towards his in confusion.

"Ask what?" She wondered, and Demetrius kept his head straight.

"Where she went, of course," he said, matter-of factly.

Robin sighed. She didn't want to talk about this, since it meant it would be giving Demetrius silent permission to ask about her ex-husband. But she was curious, so she decided to take the bait.

"Well, not gonna lie, I am a little curious, but if you don't want to talk about it I get it." she replied.

Demetrius took a long, labored breath, and he instantly looked more exhausted.

"She died."

Robin didn't know how to respond. She might've guessed this was coming, but she had never dealt with harsh grief before. She decided to spare him of an apology, and instead asked,

"How?"

Demetrius finally turned his head towards Robin's, his eyes dead serious.

"It was a stormy night, but Lydia thought she'd be okay driving home," she said, his voice perfectly flat. Robin's eyes widened in realization. She took a breath to calm herself down, trying to compose herself.

"Her name was Lydia?"

"Yes, and she was my world. It's been about five years since..." Demetrius started to choke a little as he said this, and Robin put her hand on his shoulder. A tear slipped from his eye, rolling down his cheek. He wiped it away and shook his head quickly, Robin removing her hand.

"Sorry. Let me get some you a towel."

Demetrius practically ran to the bathroom to get away from the picture, and Robin's heart sunk. She had guessed his wife was dead, but hearing it from Demetrius himself made it more upsetting somehow. She removed herself from the photos, not wanting to cause him any more grief, and sat on the couch, wincing at the fact she was still wet from the rain and definitely leaving a water spot on the cushion. Demetrius suddenly returned, two towels in hand. He threw one to Robin and she caught it, wrapping it around herself like a blanket. Demetrius did the same, and sat next to her.

"If I may be so bold, can I ask where your husband is?"

There it was. She knew he would ask about him, and how could she refuse him now, after he had bared his troubles?

"Bastard could be dead in a ditch for all I care," she said, trying to sound dismissive.

"That bad?" Demetrius asked, and Robin was surprised he didn't call her heartless or something.

"That bad. He never hit me or Sebby, but he called us worthless almost every day. After hearing it so much, I started to believe it, but once I got him to sign those papers, I got the hell out of there."

"That's awful. The last thing you are is worthless," he said, and Robin's heart instantly sped up.

"T-thanks, but I don't believe what he said anymore. Lewis told me himself this town has improved since I got here," she bragged, and smiled at Demetrius.

"Well I couldn't agree more," he said, and Robin became more tense. Was he trying to kill her? Her heart was pounding in her ears, and she swallowed. She didn't respond out of shock, and she noticed another tear was coming out of Demetrius' eye. He quickly wiped it away again.

"Look at me," Demetrius laughed, "I'm such a baby. I should get it together; it's been long enough."

"Uh, long enough for what?" Robin wondered. There was a long pause, the tension tight in the air, Demetrius scooting closer to Robin. He put his hand on her face slowly and shakily, and moved it to her damp hair, pushing it back behind her ear. Robin's breath became unsteady, knowing what was coming, but still nervous. It had been so long. She hadn't kissed anyone for years, but didn't protest when he leaned in closer. Their foreheads met, and there was a moment of hesitation before he put his mouth on hers, and Robin savored the moment, closing her eyes and taking it in before snaking her hand around to his back. Both of their towels fell off of their bodies as he kissed deeper, and Robin returned it, opening her mouth slightly, giving him more access. Out of nowhere, Demetrius pulled away and stood up from the couch, and Robin was beyond disappointed.

"What's wrong?" She asked, wanting to get back at it asap.

"Please don't get mad," he begged, looking away from her.

"I won't," she promised. "if you don't want this-"

He turned back around sharply, looking directly at Robin.

"No," he interrupted. "I do. I like you Robin. But..."

"But...?" she urged, not sure what it could be.

"Just now, I imagined I was with her. Lydia."

Robin opened her mouth slightly in surprise, but she did kind of understand, though a little annoyed. She sighed and stood up, placing herself right in front of Demetrius, her hand on his arm, rubbing it affectionately.

"Look, I get it. I can tell you loved her a lot. But if you want to move on, this the way to do it. I didn't know her, but I'm sure she wouldn't want you grieving forever. No one wants that."

Demetrius sighed heavily, looking down.

"But it's not fair to you. I shouldn't be thinking of another woman."

Robin shook her head.

"I know it won't last forever, and I know that you know I'm not her. But You're gonna have to try. You'll always wonder what could have been if you don't."

Demetrius nodded to himself.

"You're right. I know you are."

He looked up at Robin and held her face in his hands.

"I need to move on, and there's no one I'd rather do it with."

The kissed her deeply again, only this time, she could feel him forcing himself to not pull away. She backed off a little to talk to him again.

"Speaking of doing it..." Robin joked. Demetrius chuckled beautifully before taking her hands in his, thankful for her sense of humor.


End file.
